Golf ball and tee handling devices



NWT

y 5, 1960 s. F. EIMERMAN 2,943,856

GOLF BALL AND 'I'EE HANDLING DEVICES Filed March 20, 1958 haw/Zr.-fiusfare 1 E'memvan United States Patent 9 GOLF BALL AND TEE HANDLINGDEVICES Gustave F. Eimerman, Milwaukee, Wis.; Florence Gr -Me lter,administratrix of said Gustave F. Eimerman, giss Bgnog of one-half toherself and of one-half to Ruth ec er Filed Mar. 20, 1958, Ser. No.722,722

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-33) which includes a holder adapted to receive a golfball and equipped with a set of openable and closable arms forsupportably engaging a golf tee placed under the ball when the arms arein their closed position, such device being adapted for attachment to anelongated handle such as for example, the handle end of a conventionalgolf club, so that by pressing the same downwardly, the tee held by thearms may be easily and conveniently inserted in the ground.

An important feature of the invention involves the provision of means,responsive to the pressing of the device against the ground, forautomatically opening the arms to disengage the same from the tee,whereby the tee may remain inserted in the ground with the ball alreadypositioned thereon in readiness for use, all this being efiected whilethe player remains in a straight, upstanding position.

Another important feature of the invention involves the provision ofmeans on the device whereby inserted golf tees may be withdrawn from theground, also without the necessity of stooping or bending over for thatpurpose.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its The back of theholder 11 is formed with a downward extension 16, the lower portion ofwhich is substantiallytubular in form and internally screw-threaded asindicated at 17 to receive an externally screw-threaded bushing 18. Thelower end, of the bushing is formed with an enlarged shoulder or flange19, as shown. I

A pair of coacting arms 20, 21 are pivoted at their upper ends by a pin22 in a recess 23 formed at the confluence of the extension 16 with theholder 11. The arms 20, 21 are preferably curved as shown and aremovable toward and away from each other on the pivot pin '22, betweenthe closed and open positions shown in Figures 1 and 4, respectively.The lower ends of the arms 20, 21 are formed with forwardly projectingjaws 24 which are recessed as indicatedat 25 whereby to receivetherebetween I and supportably engage the head portion of a golf tee 26relatively small size and easy portability, in its efficient voperation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention will be understood from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereinlike characters of reference are used to designate like parts, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the invention, the arms of theholder being shown in their closed position and a golf ball and teebeing illustrated by dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the planeof the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device per se, that is, with thehandle thereof removed;

Figure 4 is .a rear elevational view showing the arms of the device intheir open position; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scaleof the plunger usedin the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the golf ball andtee handling device is designated generally by the reference numeral 10and embodies in its construction a holder 11 formed at the top thereofwith a blind bore or socket 12 for reception of an end portion of asuitable, elongated handle 13, such as for example, the handle portionof a conventional golf club. The underside of the holder 11 is providedwith a concavity defining an inverted socket 14 for the reception of agolf ball 15.

when the arms are in their closed position. The arrangement of parts issuch that when the tee 2 6 is supported by the jaws 24, it engages theunderside of the ball'15 in the socket 14.

A plunger 27, formed from wire rod, is slidable vertically in the boreof the aforementioned bushing 18 and is provided at its lower end withan enlarged head 28. The upper end portion of the plunger is split orbifurcated as indicated at 29, the furcations 29 terminating inforwardly angulated portions 30 which are pivotally connected to thearms 20, 21 adjacent the pivot pin 22. It is to be understood that thefurcations 29 of the plunger 27 are movable toward and away from eachother and that when they are together they may slide into the bore ofthe bushing 18 when the plunger is slid downwardly. In so doing, thefurcations 29 will draw the arms 20, 21 to their closed position asshown in Figure l, but when the plunger is slid upwardly, the furcations29 move the arms to their open position shown in Figure 4.

When the invention is placed in use, the device is applied to the handleportion of a conventional golf club or some other suitable handle andthe plunger 27 is slid downwardly after positioning of the ball 15 inthe socket 14 and of the tee 26 under the ball. The resultant closingmovement of the arms 20, 21 will cause the jaws 24 to support-ablyengage the tee and retain both the tee and the hall in place in thedevice. Without stooping or bending over, the player may then pressdownwardly upon the handle 13 so as to insent the tee into the ground,

indicated at 31. As downward pressing of the handle continues, the head25 of the plunger 27 will contact the ground, resulting in upwardsliding of the plunger which, in turn, Will automatically move the arms20, 21 to their open position shown in Figure 4. Thereupon, the entiredevice may be removed while the tee remains inserted in the groundtogether with the ball positioned thereon, in readiness for use.

If desired, a hook-shaped member 32 may be provided at the lower end ofthe extension 16 for engagement with the head portion of the tee toWithdraw the same from the ground after playing, it being noted that theentire procedure of inserting the tee, placing the ball thereon andwithdrawing the tee, may be effected while the player is standingstraight.

A. suitable clip 33 may be provided on the holder 11 whereby the devicemay be attached to a golf bag or to wearing apparel of the player, forconvenient portability 7 ngages the ground.

"socket, 12. pair of icoacting arrnspivoted to said holder ttor'tlosirrg openingmoveinenttovvalrdnfid away from ,eiich'e' her,- saidi'rms' extending dow'nwrdly' from the i holdef je-ws provided efthelowerendsofi said am for V sfijipoftnbly engaging :a' teeplace'd" under a'ball'in said i socket wh'en the arms vare'elosed, a downward extensionprovided on the holder centrally reltive to said arms, and a plungerslidable' in said extension and having its.

lower end erigalgezrble" with-the" ground, the upper end :portiqn ofsaid plu'ngerheing bifiir'c' ited and providing a of resilientfureatioi'l's opetatively connected to fliefresp fiveegime:afidfirgingjthe sgime apart when s'e'id plungr-isiupwa'rdly slid in 's'afidextension by downward p'fissilre onsaidhomer while the l'ewe'rend of theplunger 2'. devre asdefined in claim 1- wherein said eX- tension open'ue'r' end cpe'rativel engageable -wma' said exams for vamul the same andthe cated arms together during downward sliding of. said 7 plunger inthe extension. t

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together With an elongated handlesecured to and extending upwardly from said holder, whereby dovvnwardpressure on thelatter may be exerted. v

4. The device as defined in clairn 1 together with t adj-listalales't'oji means for 'lifin'iting the extent 6f Sliding of said, plungerupwardly in said extension. 7 it.

References fc'iiea neare qr fins psi-tent UNITED. STATES PATENTS?683,244 Bode 1,863,140 I h Iulvany June 14,1932 1,902,682 Walrath Mar.21,1933 3,606,764 'Mason Aug. 12, 1952,

Sept. 24,

